“There are so many moments that shocked me in the script”- Salma Hayek opens up about her Black Mirror experience

The sixth season of Black Mirror is here, featuring the likes of Salma Hayek, Anne Murphy, Aaron Paul, and Kate Mara, and is set to release on June 15, 2023. In recent times, Black Mirror has emerged as a groundbreaking series that analyses the dark side of technology and its impact on society.

Desperado star Salma Hayek recently opened up about her initial reservations regarding the series.

Hayek stars in the sixth season of the hit series in the first episode, titled Joan is Awful alongside Annie Murphy.

She plays an exaggerated version of herself onscreen. She recently opened up to Radio Times about her role and its startling requirements.

"There are so many moments that shocked me in the script. There is one huge one that I had to come to terms with, and made me ask myself, ‘Do I really want to do this? Am I going to get in trouble?’'"

Salma Hayek added that she was, nevertheless, excited to expand her horizons.

"It’s been absurd and a lot of fun. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play an interpretation of myself."

Joan is Afraid is one of the five episodes and will also star Michael Cera, Rob Delaney, and Ben Barnes.

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"...I could do the most disgusting, grotesque things" - Salma Hayek on her role in the series

Being a unique blend of psychological thriller, science fiction, and social commentary, Black Mirror offers a chilling reflection of the potential results of our increasing reliance on modern technology. In order to make the show captivating and relevant, creator Charlie Brooker tends to create characters that are uncomfortable to watch.

Hayek reflected on her experience of playing her character and working on this project.

"I got to explore the concepts and clichés people have about me and be self-deprecating. It’s as if I created an alter ego where I could do the most disgusting, grotesque things that you would never do in real life… and have permission to do that," she said.

She admitted that there were moments in the script that were particularly difficult for her to digest.

"There are so many moments that shocked me in the script. There is one huge one that I had to come to terms with, and made me ask myself, "Do I really want to do this? Am I going to get in trouble?'" she added.

Netflix's Black Mirror stands as a powerful testament to the ability of science fiction to comment on the present and forecast potential future events. Creators Charlie Brooker, Jesse Armstrong, and William Bridges successfully intertwine technology and human experiences in their stories that were bound to create a unique filming experience.

"It’s been surreal, and I think only a mind like Charlie Brooker’s could have come up with such a concept," Salma Hayek said.

Black Mirror has received six Prime Time Emmy awards so far and to keep the content of the show fresh, Brooker has included gore and comedy in the story. In another interview with Radio Times, he said:

“This season overall, we’ve also got probably one of our most overtly comic ones that we’ve ever done, which is Joan Is Awful. But certainly, there’s quite a lot of horror."

He mentioned in a previous interview with Netflix's Tudum:

"It should be a series that can't be easily defined, and can keep reinventing itself."

Watch Salma Hayek join a stellar cast comprising Aaron Paul, Michael Cera, Kate Mara, Annie Murphy, and Anjana Vasan for the sixth season of Black Mirror as it releases worldwide on June 15, 2023, exclusively on Netflix.